Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione 'Bitterly Disappointed' Over 11 a.m. Nebraska Start

The Sooners and Cornhuskers have been planning events around this game since 2012, and Joe C. says Fox Sports "denied our requests" for a later kickoff time.

Oklahoma athletic director expressed displeasure Thursday with the decision of Fox Sports to show the Sooners’ Sept. 18 home game with Nebraska in the 11 a.m. time slot.

“We are bitterly disappointed,” Castiglone said in a statement on social media, “that the great Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry, on the 50th anniversary of the Game of the Century, will kick off at 11 a.m.

“We tried every possible avenue to proactively make our case. The Big 12 Conference also supported our strenuous efforts to secure a more traditional time that would honor this game and our fans. However, in the end, our TV partner chose to exercise its full contractual rights and denied our requests.”

The Sooners and Cornhuskers will follow Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” pregame show — which will include former Sooners head coach Bob Stoops as a studio analyst as the game originates from Norman — but it’s one of several 11 a.m. starts the Sooners have scheduled. Also Thursday, OU announced an 11 a.m. start to the season opener at Tulane, and it’s likely the OU-Texas game will be at 11 a.m. as well.

Since he signed the contract with Nebraska's Tom Osborne in 2012, Castiglione has long been planning a grand celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the epic 1971 showdown between the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams in the nation, won 35-31 by the Cornhuskers.

There are numerous events tentatively scheduled throughout the week leading up to the game, including a massive reunion party for members of both teams on Friday night.